Sermon Tone Analysis

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Anger
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Anger
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In one of Aesops fables he describes an old man who had several sons, who were always falling out with one another.
He had often, but to no purpose, exhorted them to live together in harmony.
One day he called them together, and he gathered a bundle of sticks and tied them together and asked each one of them to try to break them.
Each one tried as hard as they cold but none of them could break the bundle of sticks.
Then the father cut the cord that he tied them together with and told his sons to break them separately.
This was done with the greatest ease.
“See, my sons,” the old man said “the power of unity!” Bound together by brotherly love, you may defy almost every mortal danger, but divided, you will fall prey to your enemies.
“A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
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“The gospel is not just the “A-B-C” but the “A-to-Z” of the Christian life.
The gospel is not just the way to enter the kingdom, but is the way to address every problem and is the way to grow at every step.
If we believe we can find our own worth and meaning through performance, then we will become either proud and disdainful of others (if we reach our goals), or else discouraged and self-loathing (if we fail our goals).
But the gospel creates an entirely new self-image.
First, it tells us that we are more wicked than we ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than you ever dared to hope—at the same time.
In fact, if the gospel is true, the more you see your sin, the more certain you are that you were saved by sheer grace and the more precious and electrifying that grace is to you.
So the gospel gives us enormous power to admit our flaws.
Today, as we continue to look at what it means to Love in our series, I Love My Church, we come to the idea of Community.
A community is a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.
Then secondly, the knowledge of our acceptance in Christ makes (for the first time) the law of God a beauty instead of a burden.
We come to use it to delight the One who has enriched us so mightily—instead of using it to get his attention or win his favor.
The first way makes the moral and sacrificial life a joy; the second way makes it a burden.
In our text, the writer notes that the reason for Christian community and some of the implications of that community.
First we must note that according to the author:
Therefore the gospel changes everything.
It brings down racial barriers by melting away racial pride OR inferiority.
It brings down psychological problems by melting away selfinflation OR self-hatred.
It brings down personal facades, for we are free to admit who we are.
It effects the way we do everything—how we motivate people, how we help them work through counseling problems, how we worship, how we take criticism.”
Christian Community is an Implication of the Gospel
A Gospel Implication is a result or a belief that we must gain in light of the gospel.
One of the greatest errors we can make is to believe that the only thing the gospel effected was my SALVATION.
The Gospel is much more than that, the Gospel has implications in every aspect of our lives.
Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City says this beautifully:
“The gospel is not just the “A-B-C” but the “A-to-Z” of the Christian life.
The gospel is not just the way to enter the kingdom, but is the way to address every problem and is the way to grow at every step.
If we believe we can find our own worth and meaning through performance, then we will become either proud and disdainful of others (if we reach our goals), or else discouraged and self-loathing (if we fail our goals).
But the gospel creates an entirely new self-image.
First, it tells us that we are more wicked than we ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than you ever dared to hope—at the same time.
In fact, if the gospel is true, the more you see your sin, the more certain you are that you were saved by sheer grace and the more precious and electrifying that grace is to you.
So the gospel gives us enormous power to admit our flaws.
Then secondly, the knowledge of our acceptance in Christ makes (for the first time) the law of God a beauty instead of a burden.
We come to use it to delight the One who has enriched us so mightily—instead of using it to get his attention or win his favor.
The first way makes the moral and sacrificial life a joy; the second way makes it a burden.
Therefore the gospel changes everything.
It brings down racial barriers by melting away racial pride OR inferiority.
It brings down psychological problems by melting away selfinflation OR self-hatred.
It brings down personal facades, for we are free to admit who we are.
It effects the way we do everything—how we motivate people, how we help them work through counseling problems, how we worship, how we take criticism.”
GROWING in Community (22)
First we see the idea of growth.
Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we should draw near to God.
Notice this is not just a personal growth but also a communal growth.
Because of Jesus, we all should be drawing near to God.
We should be drawing near as individuals, but also in our corporate relationship as a body.
That’s why corporate worship and corporate prayer are so important.
Prayer is that time that we together draw near to God.
As believers, God has given us Spiritual gifts and leaders to “build up the body of Christ until we, as the NLT says it, “will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”
This is the work of the body:
“Speaking the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ…so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”
We grow best in community.
We grow best as the body, working and living together hears the Word, prays, studies, serves and worships together.
This must be done in community.
We can grow alone, but its better together.
KNOWING in Community (v.
23)
Next Paul talks about how we are to “know” in community.
Notice what he calls us to, we are to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.”
Our hope is the gospel.
Our hope is the truth that Jesus is the Son of God who stepped out of heaven and lived a perfect life for us so that he could display the glorious grace of God to the whole world, saving us from the awful consequences of our sin and making us children of God.
And the Word commands the church, “Let us hold fast”.
One of the reasons why community is so important is that community helps to keep us connected to Christ.
This is why college is such a danger for young men and women in Christ.
Disconnected from the communities they once flourished in, many young adults do not connect to a local church and they are left alone as the ravages of the world attack their faith.
Notice that Paul encourages the Philippians to stand firm together.
David Mathis notes that Gospel “conduct means the church “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents.”
Conduct worthy of the gospel holds its ground; the church stands firm together in one spirit.
The ramparts remain.”
Gospel conduct means the church “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents.”
We need each other.
When we disconnect from the body, we leave ourselves open to attack from the enemy.
Weak, and alone, we’re easy pickings for our adversary.
Note both the defensive and offensive aspects to this harmony and community.
Conduct worthy of the gospel holds its ground; the church stands firm together in one spirit.
The ramparts remain.
LOVING in Community (vv.24)
So as Christians, it’s apparent that our community should not only cause us to Love God more deeply, but also to love one another and others more deeply, and the way that this works itself out is in “doing good works prepared for us beforehand.”
But the question we must ask is, what are these “good works?”
Is it spiritual works like studying the word, attending worship, prayer?
Is it social justice like caring for and giving to the poor, working for the disenfranchised, seeking to bring reconciliation?
Is it evangelical works like sharing the good news and discipling new believers?
The easy answer is yes, it’s all of these things.
Good works would include: attending worship services, praying regularly, studying Scripture, giving generously from our financial resources, joining a small group, going on mission trips, caring for the poor, working for justice for the oppressed, loving our neighbors, and so forth.
These are surely among the good works God has prepared for us.We rightly engage in these activities as people who have been transformed by God's grace through Christ.
But, if we think of good works only in these terms, we miss the extent to which God's plan for our good works is much broader and deeper.
We are created for good works, "which God prepared in advance for us to do."
The Greek original reads more literally, "which God prepared in advance, so that we might walk in them."
The language of walking was used by teachers in the time of Paul in the way we might talk of living or engaging in a certain lifestyle.
In other words, the good works are not obviously religious activities scattered throughout an otherwise secular life.
Rather, the good works encompass the whole of the Christian, all that we do by God's grace for God's purposes.
Good works should include: attending worship services, praying regularly, studying Scripture, giving generously from our financial resources, joining a small group, going on mission trips, caring for the poor, working for justice for the oppressed, loving our neighbors, and so forth.
We should engage in these activities as people who have been transformed by God's grace through Christ, but these are not events that we should attend, but this is a lifestyle, a heart change, a transformation that must encompass our entire life.
WORSHIPING in Community (vv.25)
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